The Department of Tourism’s 2021 National Tourism Careers Expo (NTCE) will assist in driving the goal of the National Tourism Sector Strategy to create an additional 300 000 tourism job opportunities by 2026.
So said Deputy Minister of Tourism, Fish Mahlalela, when he launched the NTCE this week. The expo will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre at Nasrec from Friday, March 25, to Sunday, March 27.
“The tourism sector is one of the critical intervention areas that has been identified in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan as it is a key driver of economic recovery in South Africa. Tourism is the world’s fastest growing employment sector that continues to adapt to new trends.
“To drive growth and recovery of the tourism sector, we need to boost the talent pool. A demand-led skills supply in the sector is therefore pivotal. While tourism is a significant economic lever, it is so much more than generating revenue. Tourism is a people-centric sector with people at the heart of its brand,” said Mahlalela.
His views were echoed by the CEO of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, Sthembiso Dlamini: “The NTCE’s theme, ‘Rebuilding a Resilient and Inclusive Tourism Sector for The Future’, reinforces the fact that tourism continues to be the most vulnerable to disasters and other disruptions. COVID-19 is a classic example of how the sector and its entire value chain collapsed.”
The NTCE will showcase careers, skills development initiatives and business opportunities that exist within the tourism sphere. Since its inception in 2008, it has successfully bridged the information gap between the industry and learners and offered the youth an opportunity to interact directly with potential employers in the sector.
It also shares valuable and up-to-date insights into South Africa’s tourism and hospitality industries as they return to a new normal following the pandemic.
The event is free of charge upon pre-registration and is aimed at Grade 8 to 12 learners, university students, FET (further education and training), TVET (technical and vocational education and training) college students and unemployed graduates, to see what the tourism and hospitality industries have to offer in terms of career, entrepreneurial and job opportunities.
The event also provides an opportunity for tourism curriculum experts to share information with tourism educators and learners, and for stakeholders within the sector to share information on diverse careers available in the sector. It is designed to bridge the information gap between the industry, government, learners and educators.
Highlights include:
- Motivational talks by leading South African tourism entrepreneurs and personalities
- Exhibitions of South African tourism products and related services
- Specific platforms highlighting tourism career opportunities
- Platforms assisting youths to prepare for entrepreneurial development and job opportunities
- Interesting interactive platforms
- Learner competitions and debates
- Tourism educator seminars
- Digital and social media platforms designed to profile tourism career opportunities
The event is hosted by the Department of Tourism in collaboration with the Culture Arts, Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Education Training Authority (CATHSSETA), the Gauteng Department of Economic Development represented by its provincial marketing agency, the Gauteng Tourism Authority.
